The Destiny of the Priestess Kikyo
by Moonlily819
Summary: We have all followed the tragic story of Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Kagome. I think most of us have been pulling for Kagome... but how much do we know of the choices behind Kikyo's actions? This his her story. I don't own these people or this story. Please R
1. Chapter 1

_Kikyo was running. She was running so fast, the surroundings were a blur. The shadows swallowed her up, the ancient trees so tall they blocked out most of the sunlight. She was running to something, but also away. Kikyo had never been more scared in her life. Time seemed to slow down for her, and even as she drew her quiver of __Hamaya, she knew what was to come. Kikyo took aim; she never missed. She felt a flicker of something inside- regret?- but no matter. Nothing mattered, because she hit her target. She hit her target, and then she died._

Kikyo awoke with a start. She lay quietly, as not to wake anyone. This dream was no longer disturbing. She had dreamed it every birthday since she was eleven. Her parents died that year. They were murdered demons, leaving a baby Kaete. She listened to her sister's breathing, reflecting on the choices she had made. Her parents gone, her choice was clear. She decided to study to be a Miko. In return, she was given a house. Kaete was looked after. They did not go hungry. Kikyo was a very intense person. Since she was a little girl, her mother would read her her fortune in the way her tea leaves sat, in the way the fire spoke when she added wood to it, by what the lines on her hand said. Her mother always told her she was destined for something great.

She was the best at what she did, and was reputed for villages around, although it did not always make for friendships. Her mind wondered. To the surface came the memory of Tsubaki. Not two days earlier, Kikyo had been summoned to a nearby village. There was a horrible infestation of demons, and the villagers believed it was too much for even the Miko Tsubaki to handle. So they summoned Kikyo. She arrived promptly, and the unsettling way Kikyo attended to her work angered the vain Priestess. She poked and prodded every way she could, but nothing angered or unsettled Kikyo. She glanced at her companion in contempt. She was beautiful. It angered her more, and she longed to flair out. Deep down, she did not want to be a priestess. What beautiful girl would want to through her life away? Tsubaki smiled, a horrible thing. She flicked out her tongue and tasted Kikyo's weakness. There! The fight was nearing the end, and Tsubaki new what she was to do. She turned to Kikyo.

"You are a cold woman indeed, Kikyo! No, you are not a woman at all. You are a priestess!"

It seemed to Tsubaki that she had struck a nerve. She had been right, then. Kikyo's destiny was one she did not care for. Fine. She would leaver on own mark on the proud Miko's destiny. She watched Kikyo begin to walk away.

"Are you certain you don't want a reward for your troubles?"

"Yes. Keep it for yourself Tsubaki."

Tsubaki inclined her head. "Very well then. I accept your kindness."

There Kikyo walked away, but Tsubaki could not let her go that easily.

"Kikyo, let me give you a piece of advise, from one priestess to another. When a priestess abandons all human feeling, her true power comes alive. Then again, for a woman, it's only natural to fall in love."

"Fall in love?" Kikyo could not suppress her smile. "You think I would fall in love?"

Tsubaki's eyes flashed. "Mark my words. You must not fall in love. Never allow any man to desire you. For if you do meet such a man, you will die a violent death."

"I'll keep that in mind." With that, Kikyo had walked away.

Later, when she was nearing home, she told Kaete, "Tsubaki is unscrupulous, I'll say that much of the woman. That was a curse she just put on me Kaete."

"A curse?!"

"It's okay, there's nothing to worry about. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I'll never fall in love."

That much, Kikyo thought ruefully, is true. I never expect to fall in love. Her mind wondered on, until it came to the scene that came to pass less than two hors ago.

When Kikyo had returned to her village, she was told she was going to have some visitors. She put Kaete to bed and waited their return. They came to find her, those who made it there lives to slay demons. They brought with them a birthday gift unasked for. Once Kikyo received the Shikon no Tama, her life, in all affects, was over. She knew she would now never be normal. And, because she had to keep herself pure to purify the jewel, she could never fall in love. No matter what. The sun came up.


	2. Chapter 2

Life had not been easy since eleven. After the Shikon no Tama, life got a whole lot harder. Demons came from every where to the tiny village in which Kikyo resided, attempting to steal the jewel and become more powerful. She had time for almost nothing else, and began to watch the other girls buy lip coloring and incense with a contempt that didn't really cover up the jealousy of which she felt.

One night she was out in the forest, once again defending the Shikon no Tama. She did not really want it, but it was her destiny. She knew if the jewel was used for an act of pure good, she would be released from her duties, and, maybe, she would even be able to live a somewhat normal life. Kikyo could not remember why she did not try, did not desire a normal life before. Now, it was all she wanted.

It had always been her duty to slay demons that were trouble to humans. Humans, in a world of demons, slayers, Mikos, and war, humans were helpless, weak. It was a good priestess's duty to protect innocent humans. Kikyo had no problem doing her duty. She never had. Demons were not humans. They had no feelings. But Kikyo _did_ have a problem. She had never had to kill _that many_ demons before. It was the killing that was bad. It was the blood. She was insecurely aware of the fact that she always smelled of demon blood. She did not cleanse from it, however. There was nothing she could do about it.


	3. Chapter 3

Kikyo was on her last legs. The electricity in the air was only partly due to the storm rolling in. On days like this, it felt like all hell was breaking loose. Night was falling, demons pouring from the sky left and right. Kikyo was aiming deadly with her arrows, hitting every mark. She was drenched in blood, the smell reeking, pouring off of her. It was nauseating. She had already used up all of her sacred arrows, and was using much of her energy blessing them as she took aim. Bodies were exploding in midair, always just missing her, blood bursting everywhere. The sky was crackling, and even in the midst of all this danger, she felt her true power, and knew she was dangerous. After hours of fighting, she collapsed to the ground. All the demons were gone. She lay amidst the carnage, exhausted. She could not move. All this, for the Shikon no Tama. She was really putting her life in jeopardy for this jewel. If she were attacked right now, she would not live.

Kikyo, exhausted, froze suddenly. She turned her head.

"How long do you intend to hide from me up there?" she asked. "Do you intend to try and steal the Sacred Jewel?"

"Sacred Jewel?" asked a male voice, intrigued. "Don't know nothing about it."

Kikyo couldn't help but notice how attractive the voice was. "Stay away from me, or I'll kill you." she told the disembodied voice. Then she heard voices, people from the village, Kaede, calling to her, for her. As she lay there, she heard a movement in the trees. The owner of that beautiful voice, whoever it was, was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

_Kikyo was running. She was running so fast, the surroundings were a blur. The shadows swallowed her up, the ancient trees so tall they blocked out most of the sunlight. She was running to something, but also away. Kikyo had never been more scared in her life. Time seemed to slow down for her, and even as she drew her quiver of __Hamaya, she knew what was to come. Kikyo took aim; she never missed. She felt a flicker of something inside- regret?- but no matter. Nothing mattered, because she hit her target. She hit her target, and then she died._

Kikyo awoke suddenly. Something was tugging at her memory, elusive and slick. She focused, but it eluded her. She stretched and got out of bed. It was time to begin the day. She gazed upon a sleeping Kaede, then set out into the still darkness. Kikyo walked through the tress into a clearing.

"Hey Kikyo! I hear this so called Sacred Jewel is a mysterious crystal that increases the power of a demon."

Kikyo froze. She recognized the voice, but the aura... the aura wasn't right.

"I remember! You're the one who was hiding in the shadows the other night."

"Shut up! Just hand over the Sacred Jewel!"

Kikyo's reaction time was dead on. She shot off two arrows, pinning the demon before her to a tree.

"I understand." she said, lowering her bow. "I thought I sensed a different aura from you. So you are a mere half demon," she said, noting the rage on his beautiful face. "With the Sacred Jewel, you could become a full blood demon. Would you go that far to find you place in the world, Half Demon? Do you believe that is true power?" She gazed at him, curious. Couldn't he accept his place, however unwanted it was? She had.

"I told you to shut up! I'll become the strongest demon around! I've already made up my mind, and when I do become a full fledged demon, I'm gonna put you outta your misery!"

Kikyo turned and began to walk away. Was it that obvious she was miserable? He smile was caustic. "Take my word for it: that is never going to happen. Not as long as I purify and protect it."

"Don't make me laugh! You totally reek of the stench of demon blood."

Kikyo froze.

"What's the matter? Did I touch a nerve? Huh Kikyo?"

"You'd better stay away from me if you don't want to be killed. There will be no third chance."

"Ha! I'm not giving up that easily! Go ahead and run! You won't get away from me! With that bloody demon smell on you, you'll be easy enough to find."

"The smell of me." Kikyo muttered to herself. "Huh."


	5. Chapter 5

Kikyo was naked, dripping wet, and alone. She swung her dark hair upside down, then stood back up, waist deep in the current of the light blue river. She twisted her hair in her hands, enjoying the drops drizzling down her body. She took her time, knowing she had all the privacy in the world. She scrubbed her body with sand until she was a rosy pink, flushed with the enjoyment of just being a girl, of being alone. Of the quiet. She smiled to herself. With a sigh of contentment, Kikyo trilled a few lines of a song she recalled her mother singing from her childhood.

"Il sonno ora quello piccolo, dato che ieri comincia la vostra vita.

Quello ora piccolo, il sonno ed il cambiamento accadono. L'amore verrà presto e la vita ora è quella breve, ma piccola, sonno.

Kikyo's thoughts spanned over the past few days. She recalled how Inuyasha had saved her sister from Mistress Centipede. He had no reason to, a flimsy excuse, and a blush. But her did. She learned his name, decided never to call him Half-Demon again. He learned her

name, to. Said it like a lover's caress. She stopped poking holes in his robes, and he stopped trying to steal the jewel.

"L'amore verrà presto e la vita ora è quella breve, ma piccola, sonno."

He slept in the trees outside of the village. The night before, she heard him whisper that she was beautiful when she turned away to go inside. She knew, even in the dark, his keen eyes could discern a blush on her face. She was considering giving him beads of submission, with a trigger word. He had told her last night that he had a present for her.

"Don' la preoccupazione di t ancora, quella piccola, asciuga i vostri occhi, ma sonno, per l'un giorno, vi trasformerete in ancora nella terra."

She decided later on what the trigger word would be. The name of the song sung to her by here mother. Beloved.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry it took so long!!! I'll try to keep up on it better!

Kikyo was dying. She could find no other reason for why her heart her so badly. It felt... tender. Kikyo sat before a guttering candle. Kaede was asleep. Kikyo opened her hand and looked at the gift Inuyasha had given her. She was so confused. Her life had never been nice. She had never really been happy. And Inuyasha, he made her feel... different. She really had never wanted a normal life. But she did now. She felt guilty, and knew she had been neglecting her duties as a priestess. In short, she has sinned. She decided to double her efforts, and she took in a bandit named Onigumo. She hid him away, took pity on him, because she knew he would never move again. His greed was apparent, but harmless as he was, she never worried. Instead, she cared for him, sharing her secret only with Kaede. It made her uncomfortable to keep a secret from Inuyasha, but she had a bad feeling about telling him. So she kept the secret, and grudgingly cared for Onigumo, on top of everything else, and enjoyed her time with Inuyasha. While Onigumuo's obvious lust for her left her with a feeling of faint repulsion, her bantering with Inuyasha made her happy. She told herself that befriending Inuyasha was not neglecting her duties, but indeed, was included in her duties, because it was keeping him out if trouble. She was still toying with the idea of presenting another option to Inuyasha, one he had not seen before... one that would free them both. But her heart sped when she thought of it, and it was already too late for her to be up musing over idle thoughts. Kikyo blew out the candle and climbed into bed. She fell asleep with her hand curled around a decorative container of lip rouge; the very first she had ever owned. It had belonged to Inuyasha's mother.


	7. Chapter 7

Inuyasha sat in a tree outside of Kikyo's hut. The moon was bright over the roof, and it was easy to pick out her sleeping shape. Thoughts of that day filled his mind...

Inuyasha thought of the smiles she gave him, of how her eyes lit up when he gave her his mother's lip rouge. They had talked that day about the Shikon no Tama. While they were discussing its past, powers, and how it tied in with Kikyo's future, Kikyo told him that if the jewel was used for an act of pure good, it would become totally purified. Inuyasha realized this meant she would be free again. The look she got in her eyes sometimes, when she thought no one was looking,was one of utter sadness. The look in her eyes when she fought demons, well... that look made Inuyasha sick to his stomach. It was... nothing. Pure emptiness. He often helped her fight her enemies now. The idea of her getting hurt, for any reason, made him want to snap the trunk of the tree he was on now. He hated to watch her, see how she faked happiness, how deadened she felt. He wanted her to be happy. That was all. And if she was happy, he would be, too. He had been tossing around an idea for a few hours now. All he wanted, more than anything in the world, was to fit in. All he had known his whole life was having to defend himself. If he was a full blood demon, no one would bother him again. He would be respected, admired. But there was another option. It had occurred to Inuyasha only hours before. He could always use the jewel to become a full human. Humans were weak, it was true, but he would still fit in somewhere. And not all humans were weak. His own mother was a human, and had governed his father's heart, mind, and soul. And then there was Kikyo. Kikyo was beautiful, powerful, and had an astounding resolve. It was possible that, if he used the jewel to become a full blood human, it would purify it. Kikyo would be freed. Her sister was almost the age to take over her duties, if Kikyo decided to step down...

Could they be together? Was that a sacrifice he wanted to make? He gazed into the window of Kikyo's hut, wishing he could enter. Wishing he could hold her.


	8. Chapter 8

Slimy, sleazy Onigumo watched Kikyo with greed. He would never move again, but all he wanted was to submit her to his will. He listened with impatience as she prattled along about her day and her Inuyasha, who, even by Onigumo's standards, sounded weak and pathetic. He would already have **had** Kikyo, and been on his way. He watched her ass move as she left the cave where he was hidden. He did love her, in a way. He loved the idea of her. And he desired her. When a little demon started whispering in his ear a plan, Onigumo instantly agreed to let them posses his body. He was going to show this Inuyasha how to posses a wench. That was his last thought before his body was ripped to shreds.


End file.
